Parallels are often seen between this subculture and similar upper-class social groups in the United States ("preppy") and the United Kingdom ("Sloane Rangers"). As with those groups, the BCBG subculture drew mainstream attention during the 1980s. Thierry Mantoux published a handbook for BCBG style (BCBG â Le guide du bon chic bon genre) in 1985. It was a French equivalent to The Official Preppy Handbook and The Sloane Ranger Handbook, both published earlier in the decade.
The BCBG social group is associated with certain residential areas in Paris and Versailles. It is often identified with the 'NAP' area formed by the triangle between Neuilly-Auteuil-Passy, from the 16th arrondissement to the Bois de Boulogne, as well as the 6th arrondissement closer to the centre of Paris. It is associated with the 7th and 8th arrondissements for shopping.
The BCBG subculture is not to be confused with the French socio-economic group known as 'bobo' (a portmanteau of bourgeois and bohemian).
The BCBG style tends toward the conservative and classic, to "de-emphasize 'sexiness' and 'flashy' signs of wealth", and it is influenced by British and American fashion. Some brands trendy with the BCBG group include Gucci, Max Mara, Le Bon Marché and Chanel.
Examples of the BCBG style are seen in Clive James's first Postcard from... television series, when he visits Paris during the "Postcard from Paris" episode (1989). While he is sitting in a cafe, people demonstrating 'good BCBG' are pointed out to him.